Finding the Refuge Within: A Silent Meditation Retreat in Hawai'i

When the world trembles, how do we find sanctuary?

Silent meditation retreat offers a rare opportunity to slow down, settle and reconnect with your true self—the refuge within.

Encircled by the stunning beauty of Hawai’i’s North Kohala coast, this residential retreat offers a spacious schedule of meditation, yoga, teachings and periods of integration, under the guidance of meditation teacher Willa Blythe Baker. Set amidst the natural splendor of the Hawaiian landscape at Hawai’i Island Retreat on the North Kohala coast of the Big Island, retreatants will be supported by comfortable accommodations – elegant hotel suites, yurts, or off-site local lodging – nourishing vegetarian meals with occasional fish offerings, and access to trails winding through wild groves, ancient valleys, windswept cliffs, and ocean coves.

Through meditation, communing with the natural world, and periods of silence, we will explore the possibility that the very moment we live in holds the key to our awakening.

When we make space for true presence to enter our lives, we relax into a deeper ground of being—an innate awareness that is naturally open, peaceful, and whole.

This ground of being is not a passing state, but a wakefulness radiating through mind, heart, and body, regardless of the conditions of our lives. Progressing through gradual phases of glimpse, cultivation, and stabilization, we discover that the sanctuary we have longed for has been here all along.

Join Lama Willa in Hawai’i to:

• Discover the wisdom of Dzogchen, the Tibetan tradition of Great Wholeness, through practices that emphasize slowing down, coming present, and waking up to our true nature.
• Enter Noble Silence as a pathway to healing and inner cultivation.
• Commune with the natural world through contemplative practices that take trees, wind, water, sky, earth, and sacred fire as one’s teacher, and discover ways to engage these practices wherever you are.
• Meet life’s challenges with presence through meditation practices that help us remain open and grounded amid uncertainty and change.
• Connect with fellow practitioners who are exploring the inner life.

Together we will slow down, come present, and listen deeply. In doing so, we may discover that the refuge we seek is not elsewhere, but here—within and between us, always available, always whole.

This retreat is recommended for those who already have some experience with meditation and who wish to deepen, refresh, or expand their practice.

Willa Blythe Baker is an author and teacher in the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism, specializing in embodied practices of presence and non-dual awareness. She was authorized as a lineage holder (lama) after twelve years of monastic training and two consecutive three-year retreats. In 2008, she founded the Natural Dharma Fellowship, a spiritual community in the Northeastern United States, through which she teaches online and in person. Willa currently lives off-grid on the Big Island of Hawai’i, where her spiritual practices have grown to include gardening, swimming and canoeing at sunrise.

Registration and Contact Information

To register to attend this retreat in-person in Hawai’i, or for more information including pricing, accommodations, travel logistics, availability, or any other questions, please contact Jude, the Hawai’i Retreat Co-Manager, directly at islandharma@gmail.com.

Please note: The residential component of this retreat is being organized by local coordinators (Catrinka and Jude) in Hawai’i, not by Natural Dharma Fellowship’s registrar or staff. NDF is coordinating only the online participation options and is not managing registration for the Hawaiʻi portion. To ensure you receive accurate and timely information, please direct all inquiries regarding the Hawai’i retreat to Catrinka and Jude rather than to the NDF registrar or staff.

Space at Hawai’i Island Retreat is limited. If you are interested in attending in person, we encourage you to contact the local coordinators at islandharma@gmail.com as soon as possible.

Residential Accommodations and Pricing

There are three types of lodging at the Hawai’i Island Retreat: Hotel rooms, Bungalows and Yurts. The elegant Hotel rooms are spacious with full ensuite bathrooms. Most of the Hotel rooms are upstairs. The ocean-view Bungalows are a short walk from the Hotel. The Yurts can be made up with either 1 King or 2 twin beds. Each Yurt has a sink and toilet, with a shared shower house near by. The Yurts are situated a little walk away from the Hotel, Dining and Meditation rooms. The Dining Room and Meditation Room are on the ground floor of the Hotel.

To secure your space, email islandharma@gmail.com and include your lodging preference, full name, email address, and phone number.

Non-Residential Pricing (Commuter)

• $650 for non-residential retreat attendance
  • Includes lunch meals

Payment Schedule (Residential & Commuter)

• Initial $500 deposit reserves your residential space in the retreat
• Initial $200 deposit reserves your non-residential (commuter) space in the retreat
• A second deposit of $500 is due by September 1, 2026
• The final balance is due by December 1, 2026

After you have emailed your lodging preference and personal information to islandharma@gmail.com, you will be provided with a secure payment link to make your deposit.

Cancellation Policy & Trip Insurance

All payments are non-refundable, other than the unlikely reason of retreat cancellation. Non-refundable payments are made to Hawai’i Island Retreat in order to reserve your space, therefore it is strongly recommended that you secure trip insurance that covers your retreat costs and travel expenses. There are many trip insurance companies to choose from, such as: Allianz Travel Insurance  World Nomads Travel Insurance, or Travel Guard.

Online Attendance

Most of this retreat will be livestreamed via Zoom. To register for the online component, click here.

Dana

Dana is a Sanskrit and Pali word meaning generosity or giving. The retreat teacher and retreat staff donate their time freely. There will be an opportunity to offer dana at the end of the retreat.

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